The Man That Rescues Dogs (TMTRD) sanctuary unveiled a heartfelt surprise tribute to its treasured supporters this Thanksgiving, painting their names onto a commemorative wall at the shelter in Thailand.
To celebrate the success of “Home. Made.” – a nonfiction book written to generate funds for the sanctuary, documenting the incredible journey of Founder Michael J. Baines and the heartwarming tale of TMTRD – Michael and the team in Thailand paid tribute to the first 100 readers by inscribing their names onto a vibrant “Wall of Gratitude” in Shelter 6, forever immortalizing them as “part of the story.”
More info: heywitchcraft.com
Michael and the team in Thailand paid tribute to the first 100 readers by inscribing their names onto a vibrant “Wall of Gratitude”
Opened in 2017, the sanctuary houses more than 780 rescue dogs (including 50 TikTok-famous paralyzed dogs affectionately nicknamed The Wheelchair Mafia), while monitoring, feeding and caring for an additional 450 stray dogs. TMTRD provides food, shelter and medical treatment for Thailand’s canine community, and also helps to safely control the stray population with medical care, vaccinations, and local education.
Distributed in 12 countries, the memoir has already raised thousands of dollars for TMTRD, creating a welcome new revenue stream for the nonprofit organization to continue their work and expand their crucial mission. Published by social impact production company “Witchcraft” (who flip book royalties into the favor of nonprofit organizations), 70% of royalties are donated back to the sanctuary. Within the first two months of sale, the money raised from royalties funded 6,883 meals for the 1,000 dogs in the shelter’s care, meaning every reader’s purchase has made a life-changing impact to dogs in need.
“We wanted to say thank you to all of the people who have raised money for the Sanctuary by purchasing the book,” Baines said of the Thanksgiving surprise. “We have an incredible community of people that have supported our cause for many years, and have also welcomed new supporters this year, who were interested in the book and our story.
“I am very proud of what we have built here. It’s been an amazing journey, and the idea to paint the names onto a wall is to celebrate everyone who is also part of the story – to always remember their generosity, and the difference it has made. Everything we do here is for the happiness of the dogs, and ‘Home. Made.’ has allowed us to do even more.
“As we live solely on donations, the book has been excellent for us as a source of income for the dogs. Until now, we didn’t have much in terms of products to sell, other than T-shirts and coffee mugs – but the 70% of donations will be so crucial for us in the long run. Thank you again to everyone who has supported us, and we hope you like this small token of thankfulness.”
Receiving renowned acclaim from the likes of celebrity photographer Jeff Katz, host, producer and restaurateur Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, and filmmaker and BBC investigative journalist Mikey Kay, “Home. Made.” has been hailed a “heartwarming, heroic and inspirational” story. The memoir recounts Baines’ remarkable journey from the bustling kitchens of Sweden’s most popular restaurant scene, to the tranquil cassava fields of Bang Saen, Thailand – the Swedish entrepreneur quit his successful culinary career to open the nonprofit rescue and rehabilitation center for stray dogs.
The book also reveals the deeply moving and most difficult challenges of Baines’ own life, namely his personal struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. After somehow finding himself working for the alleged Yugoslavian mafia in Sweden, the chef became caught up in the dangerous world of drugs, chasing highs to ward off his demons, before he was delivered a life-changing ultimatum. “A captivating read that warms the heart” and makes a positive impact, the book has earned five-star reviews around the world, and continues to help dogs in Thailand live happier and healthier lives.
“Home. Made.” is available to purchase in the U.S. at heywitchcraft.com/shop, or via Amazon for readers outside of the U.S.
